Venetian blind



B. WALKER VENETAIN BLI Jan. 15, 1952 2 SHEETSSl-IEET 1 Filed Nov. 10,- 1948 IN V EN TOR.

Jan. 15, 1952 WALKER I 2,582,301

VENETAIN BLIND Filed NOV. 10, 1948 2 SI'lEETS-SHEET 2 INVENT R.

Patented Jan. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Brooks Walker, Piedmont, Calif. Application November 10, 1948, Serial No. 59,305

' Claims.

This invention pertains to Venetian blinds and improvements in the parts for operating same. The invention includes improvements in the tilting and lifting mechanism where closed head rails are employed. The invention also covers universal brackets in which the tilting and lifting mechanism is enclosed for installation on blinds of varying widths by spacing apart the two containers of the components.

The invention covers a simplified method of tilting a blind by virtue of sliding the flexible side members of the ladder tape around an inclined angled slide so that a pull on the side member of the ladder tape lengthwise of the head rail will eiiect 9, raising or lowering of the side members of the ladder tapes where it supports theslats.

Other forms of the invention involve a more compact head rail in which the angle slides, over which the side members of the ladder tape slide in changing direction, are laid down in a horizontal position in order to effect a shallower head rail, or. ladder tape operating components.

. The invention also covers a simplified method of controlling the tilt mechanism wherein a cord operated shaft winds up on one side to pull up the sides of the ladder tapes toward the room while atthe same time unwinding another cord attached to the side members of the ladder tapes on the window side of the blind to efiect a relative 'movement of the two sides of, the ladder tape to effect a tilting of the slats in either direction without materially changing the height of the center of the slatsduring such tilting operation. This construction may be used with lift cords in the center ofthe slats and going through conventional route holes or with offset lift cords as shownherein similar to those shown in my U. 5. Patent No. 2,200,349. The slats may be removable by use of tongues as shown in my U. S. Patent No. 2,311,716, or any other suitable slat securing means may be used. I

' Other objects of the invention will be more clearly pointed out in the accompanying specifications and claims.

I have illustrated my invention by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a Venetian blind head rail operating mechanism, showing one form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly cut away, of the design shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a reduced scale end view, partly cut away, of a portion of the construction taken at section 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a partially cut away perspective View of a, portion of a blind showing another form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a plan view of top of a head rail showing another form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a side elevation view of a portion of a blind, partially cut away, of the construction as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side view, partly cut away, of another construction showing a further modi fication of the invention.

In all views, like numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout said views.

In Figures 1, 2, and 3, I have shown a closed head rail l0 made of metal or suitable material with inturned upper edges for stiffness, and cut out at the bottom for the passage of the lifting cords 52a and 52b, as well as the side members 20., 2|, 22, and 23 of the ladder tapes which sup-,

port the slats 5. The bottom of the ladder tapes are attached at their bottom end to bottom rail 12 which may be of any suitable constructween the vertical member of the lifting tape and the substantially horizontal portion of the lifting tape which is pulled toward the tilting shaft 40 as operated by cord pulley 4| and cords 54. The ends of the ladder tapes are attached to metal clips'20a, 2 la, 22a, and 23a, respectively.

These clips engage the full width of the ladder tape to prevent the same from folding and form a suitable'cord lock for the connecting cords 3| and 32. These metal clips 20a and 22a are connected to tilt control cord 3|, and tilt control cord 32 is connected to clips Zla and 23a. These cords 3| and 32 may be the two ends of a continuous cord suitably secured to the tilt control shaft 40 by pin 40a, or other suitable means.

Pulley H is attached to the end of tilt control shaft 40 and is operated by tilting pull cords 54 which might be wound unto a drum type tilt control pulley with one groove for winding the cords on and the other for winding cords ofi with a cord anchored in the middle to prevent creep, or bead chain or other suitable chains can be used in the drive to take care of creep, or the cords may be of the continuous type that 3 can be used regardless of any creep at the pulley. A pulley position reset relative to the shaft may be used to take care of cord creep on the pulley. The lifting of the blind or collapsing of the slats and lifting of the bottom rail is accomplished by the lift cord 52 with an equalizer 53.

Lift cords 52 pass over a pulley or curve slide 50 and are secured at any desired position of lift by cord stop 5!;

In this construction, the offset cord position is used (as shown in my U. S. Patent No. 2,200,349 which allows removability of the slats) with cord 52a passing down on the room side of the slats at the left-hand tape by passing over a pulley 56 located inside of the curved returnlfib of the metal bracket GB. The other lift cord 52b passes under the lower edge of the metal turn I61) and diagonally across the head rail to pulley 51 lo cated at the rear of the inside of the angle return I50: of bracket 15, then. passes down. adjacent tothe inside. face of 'therear'right hand ladder tape 23 and fin'ally'issecured to" the:bottom rail..

Lift cords 52 could pass through pulleys at the center of the. head rail and through route' holes at the center'of the slats in a construction not"- here shown. It might be desirable toput' the cord stop at the opposite end of' the blind from the tilt mechanism in orderto get more distance between the cord stop and the center of' the closest ladder tape, or to conform to Venetian" blind controlcustom.

The head member pulleys can be outside the side members of the ladder tapes. The cords pass through theladder tapes near the top" slat and. go between the slats and the' ladder sides to the bottom rail if such a construction is desirable.

By these methodsythe blinds. may be lifted to any desired position by the lift cords 52 and when. in the tiltedpositiomno particular. bind is added to. the lift-cords so that the blinds: can still be" raisediand'lowered in the fully or partially" tilted position in either direction. The tilting is ac:- complishedby pulling on either side of.the tiltingcords 54so as to rotate pulleyidl' and-attached shaft 40 to. unwind tilting; control. cord 3.! when the pulley is rotated in a clockwise direction and thereby lowering. the room sides of the' ladder tapes 2-0 andi22' while at the same time'winding: up. ontilt. control. cord 32 to raise the rear sides oflthe. ladder. tapes 2] and 23 to. effect aclosure ofLtheJolind with the window edgesof the slats? in.the.raised. position. Pulling on the. other" cord torotate pulley 6|. in a counterclockwise direc-v ti'oncloses the blind in the. opposite direction" with.the window edge of the slats in. the lowered.

position.

In..Figure 4, I have shown an alternate conistructioninwhich the. mechanism: is included in twoseparatecontaihers Blland'GB which also fur= nish the support for the facia or cornice. it: In; container 6.01s provided the tilt mechanism andliftcord returns, as well as lift cord stop similar to. the mechanism shown on theleft-hand side of'theheadrail, as illustratedin Figures 1 and 2.

The. metal insert 6 Iv is similar to metal insert l8.

Mounting ears. 63 may beturnedout from their punch. position. for. securing to a wall or be left in? their turned position for securing. to the side ofa window frame, whichever is moresuitable.

Holes 62- may also be used for. mounting container 60..

The other. container. 65 isv mounted. at a suitable-distance at the other edge of the window and contains. the ladder tape direotionrchangi'ng curved surfaces, as well as the pulley or slide for the lifting cords and holes for suitably securing the box to the window frame as shown at 61 and 68. If a three or four-tape blind is to be used, containers similar to 55 may be used at the intermediate position with both ends open for the passage of the tilt control cords from one tilt control box to the next.

Metal insert 36 is similar to metal insert l5 ShOWDzil'l Figures 1 and .2. To provide a suitable mounting for. the-facia orcornice 10, I have shown some keyhole slots 69 in each metal box and a screw 69a secured to the inner face of the facia or cornice Iii. Screw 69a can be secured to the faciato a proper depth, inserted through the enlargedportion of the keyhole, and then slid down to the smaller end of the keyhole for proper mounting of the cornice or facia.

Ifdrapery rods are to be used inside the facia, additional spacing must be employed by a suitable spacing bracket to hold the facia orcornice away from the metal'boxto provide; room for the'drapery and drapery rod;

Although I have shown' metal, inserts l5 and It with turned edges, the turning of the sidev members of the lifting tapes may be accomplished very satisfactorily by turning'themover'a formed" wire or rod bracketwith the portion of" the rod or wire set at the correct angles over which the side members of the ladder tapes may be slid. This accomplishes the substantially right-angle direction change for a horizontal pull control on the side members of the.ladder tape to' effect a vertical movement of the side members of theladder tape to. control the. tilt of, the slats ineither direction.

In Figures 5 and 6; I have shown another form of the invention embodying a closed headlrail which supports slats 5 and. bottom rail l2 on ladder tapes whose side members are shown respectively as 9I, 92; and 93 with the usual ofiset orv staggered ladder rungs of, woven; or-

and82. are so formed that the side membersof' wise to theclosedhead'willj effect araisingand lowering of thevertical portions ofthe ladder.

tape. which supports the slats. tov effect a closing operation. This. is. accomplished, by means. of tilting. control. rod 4!! connected; to tilt control wheel 4 l', which wheelis. operated by. tilt cords 54.

which. may be. cords as shown... chains, or. ,c onti,nu.- ous. cord to. take. careofi tendency. to creep.

Tilt control or. actuatingcords. 8.! and.8.8. are wound around tilt-control rod. 40. so that, when tilt control roddllis turnedinaclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 6, tilt control cord. 80- is unwound. andallows the rear faceof. the. ladder tapes. BL and 93., to. move downwardly while. at the same time cord. 81. is wound up on tiltcontrol rod 4!! to raisethereby the front. faces of the ladder tapes S0 and 92 to effect a tiltingcontrol of the. slats. By suitably compressing thefoldover portions of metal inserts 3|, and.82; the. overall. height of. the tilt railcan be kept at. a minimum It has been found in practice that suitable By this. construction a motion.

stainless steel or other wires or rods formed in the ladder tape sides are folded for controlled sliding. v The operation of the ladder tapes over even small-diameter piano wires is quite satisfactory as the stainless steel in piano wires does not discolor the ladder tapes and forms a very smooth, slick :surface over which they can slide. This construction also allows a minimum of space for the angle fold-over operation of the sides of the ladder tape where they are drawn in toward the center to minimize the overall height of the head rail required for this construction. Appropriate painted, plated, wood, plastic, or other suitable Slide surfaces may be used in place of piano wire.

Metal inserts 8! and 82 may be held in place by crimping over turned up portions of the cutout in the bottom of the head rail as shown at 80a. This serves two purposes in providing a rounded surface which will not tear or catch the sides of the ladder tape and at the same time holds the metal inserts BI and 82 positively in place in the head rail without the necessity of extra rivets, spot welding, etc., which might show through the paint or add to the cost by requiring extra parts. However, any suitable method may be used for supporting and securing the metal inserts BI and 82. Wire or other forms of material over which the side members of the ladder tape may be suit ably folded so that controls moving the ends of the ladder tapes horizontally will effect vertical movements of the vertical portions of the ladder tapes for effective tilting control of the slats.

The lifting of the slats may be effected as shown by lift cords 85 and cord stop operating against pulley 5B in the cord stop mechanism, or any other suitable type of cord stop. Pulleys 94 and 95 may be set as shown for offset cord lifts as described in connection with my U. S. Patent 4 No. 2,200,349. The slats may be suitably held in place by tongues which grip the ladder tapes or "other suitable slat retaining means may be used. The pulleys 94 and 95 may be located in the positionover. the center of the slats at the center of the ladder tape and conventional route holes used in the slats. The pulleys 94 and 95 can be placed at any other suitable place which will perform the desired lifting operation, such as near the end of the slats with suitable punches in the slat to receive the lifting cord. The tilt actuating cords 81 and 88 may be of the usual fiber cord type, or they may be of the flexible metal type such as a flexible bronze wire or cable which is less liable to stretch and thereby throw the slats in larger-sized blinds out of alignment with the head rail or out of alignment relative to parallelism of the ladder rung. Clips 90a, am, 92a, and 93a are attached respectively to the sides of the ladder tapes 90, 9|, 92, and 93 and form an adjustable connection for the tilt actuating cords 81 and 88 in a manner similar to that shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3. However, any other suitable means may be used for attaching as cords, tape, ribbon, wire, etc., between the control mechanism and the ends of the ladder tape.

In Figure '7, I have shown a further modification of the general construction as shown in Figures 5 and 6 in which two shorter metal boxes H19 and I!!! are used as fairly standard parts which may be varied in the spaced relationship depending upon the length of the blind. Since the ladder tapes are usualy spaced a standard distance from the ends of the slats, these standard boxes I00 and Hill each contain essentially the same mechanism as shown respectively in the right and left-hand sides of the head rail as shown in Figures 5 and 6, especially the inserts and actuating mechanism connected with the cord controls and slat lift and slat tilt mechanism attached to the metal inserts BI and 82 of Figures 5 and 6. The tilt cords 54 control the tilt control cords 87 and 88, and the blind lift cords B5 and 86 control the lift of the blind or collapse of the slats in a manner similar to that described in connection with Figures 5 and 6. As a means of attaching the facia or cornice, keyhole slots 10a and in la are shown formed in a suitable manner in boxes I00 and NH, respectively, to receive a screw head or other device attached to the inner face of the facia or cornice which can be inserted through the larger portion of the keyhole slot and dropped down for a suitable attachment to the lower keyhole. One or more of these may be used, or any other suitable form of attachment, between the cornice and the facia, and the boxes It!) and it?! may be used so that standard boxes ID! and I02 may be employed for a great many widths of blinds. Where three or more tapes are used, auxiliary boxes similar to l0! but with openings at both ends for the passage of the lift and tilt control cords may be used at intermediate stations or intermediate positionings of ladder tapes. Drapery rods and other desirable auxiliaries may also be hung on these two boxes I00 and IUI between the box and the facia or cornice or any other desired position.

In order to prevent light leakage between the top slat and an opening in the window between boxes l0! and [02, it may be desirable to attach a shorter rear facia between the open ends of the boxes at the rear face of the blind head rail. Boxes llll and I02 may be wide enough to mount the drapery rods inside these boxes. Boxes HH and I2 are also designed for use in connection with facias or cornices having dust caps in which the boxes are mounted on the window frame and then the cornices and dust caps are supported on the boxes. The boxes could be mounted inside the facias and dust caps and then the entire assembly is mounted on the window. There is a great variety of arrangements for mounting and assembling of these various parts which are designed for standardization so as not to have any serious manufacturing difficulty or mounting difficulty in connection with the great variety of sizes of blinds which must be made from these various parts.

No particular constructions have been prescribed. Great leeway may be employed in the material and construction of the parts, all coming within the scope of this invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a Venetian blind, a vertical ladder tape, comprising spaced side members and cross rungs connecting the spaced side members, slats positioned on the cross rungs, a bottom rail, means for adjusting the slats in tilted positions, comprising a head box, spaced guides for the side members positioned in the opposite walls of the head box and inclined in one direction and over which the upper portions of the two side members are guided into the head box and directed in a horizontal direction, a spool, a flexible connector secured at each end to the upper portions of the side members and having its medial portion around the spool and means for turning the spool in opposite directions to cause a tilting of the slats upwardly or downwardly.

2. In a Venetian blind, a vertical ladder tape, comprising spaced side members and cross rungs assasqr.

connectin the spaced side members, slats positioned on the cross rungs, a bottom rail, means for adjusting the slats in; tilted positions, com:- prisinga head box, rectangular bracketssecured i each end of the head box, their upturned sides, being inclined in one direction, forming guides for each of side members of the ladder tapes; and over which the upper portions of the two; side members are guided into the head box and; directed in a horizontal direction, a spool, a flexible connector secured at each end to the upper portions of the side members and having its medialportion around the spool and means for turning the spool in opposite directions to cause a, tilting, of the slats upwardly or downwardly.

3, In a Venetian blind, a vertical ladder tape, comprisingspaced side members and cross rungs connecting the spaced side members, slats positioned; on the cross rungs, a bottom rail, means for adjusting the slats in tilted positions, comprising; a facia, horizontally spaced head boxes secured to each end of the facia, inclined guides positioned in each head box for each of the spaced; side members each side member being guided in the same horizontal direction, flexible cordsconnecting the side members entering one head box, with the side members entering the other head box, means for moving the front series of side members in one direction and the back side members in the opposite direction in order to tilt the slats.

4. In a Venetian blind, a vertical ladder tape, comprising spaced side members and cross rungs connecting the spaced side members, slats posit-ioned' on the cross rungs, a bottom rail, means for adjusting the slats in tilted positions, comprising a facia, horizontally spaced head boxes secured to each end of the facia, inclined guides positioned in each head box for each of the spaced side members each side member being guided in the same horizontal direction, flexible cords connecting the side members entering one head box, with the side members enterin the other head box, a flexible cord attached at one end to the front side members and at the other end to the; back: side members, a pool; the

medial portion, of the flexible, cord passing around the spool, and means to rotate the. spool in either direction, to tilt the slats upwardly or downwardly.

5. In a Venetian blind, a vertical ladder tape, comprising sets of spaced side membersv and cross rungs connecting the spaced side members, slats positioned on the cross rungs, a bottom rail, means for tiltably adjusting the slats, comprising a head box, a first set of spaced guides for the, side members in each end of the box. said guide members extending parallel to the side walls of the head box a second set of guide members in each end of the head box, said second set of guide members being inclined in opposite directions so that each set of side members enter the bottom of the box in anupwardly direction pass over the first set of guide members and are directed in opposite horizontal directions. pass over the inclined second set of guide members and are then directed in the same direction. an operating mechanism and means for connectingthe front side members to one end of the operating mechanism and the back side members to the other end of the operating mechanism so that the slats may be tilted upwardly or downwardly.

BROOKS WALKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 138,761 Potter May 13, 1873 289,176 Teuteberg Nov. 27, 1883 1,271,619 Sapper- July 8, 1918 2,054,164 Moseley Sept. 15, 1936 2,242,697 Duca May 20, 1941 2,276,898 Walker Mar. 17', 1942 2,383,640 Kwon May 19, 1942 2,391,709 Kasan Dec. 25, 1945 

